FAMILY FUNCTIONING: BRIDGING THE RELATION BETWEEN GRANDFAMILY HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Abstract In research, it is important to utilize theories to ask and answer questions about a specific phenomenon. In grandfamily research, there is a need to utilize theory as a bridge to understanding the relationship between family functioning and grandfamily health and well-being. In this symposium, four presentations will discuss their work related to grandfamily well-being and how it was guided by theory. In Scott and Nadorff, Bowen’s Family Systems theory is used as a framework for examining the extent to which agreement on values and beliefs moderates the relation between intergenerational emotional closeness and well-being in the grandparent generation. Findings demonstrated that affectual solidarity rating and religious ideological differences between grandparents and grandchildren influenced grandparents’ well-being. Yancura & Barnett utilized the family life course framework in their study to examine how intergenerational conflict between the grandchildren’s parents and the caregiving grandparents predicted stress and depression in grandparent caregivers. Ye and Smith incorporated the family stress model that was developed by Conger and colleagues in their study. Findings suggested parenting practice profiles related differentially to the well-being of caregivers and the emotional and behavioral outcomes of the grandchildren. Musil, Jeanblanc, Zauszniewski, and Burant used McCubbin’s Resiliency Model of Family stress to examine how demographics, family demands, problem-solving/coping, resources, and situational appraisals affect depressive symptoms in grandmother caregivers. The inclusion of theory in these studies is significant. Without theory, study findings are nothing more than a pile of findings. Theory helps organize these findings in a meaningful way. This is a Grandparents as Caregivers Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.

grandfamily research, there is a need to utilize theory as a bridge to understanding the relationship between family functioning and grandfamily health and well-being.In this symposium, four presentations will discuss their work related to grandfamily well-being and how it was guided by theory.In Scott and Nadorff, Bowen's Family Systems theory is used as a framework for examining the extent to which agreement on values and beliefs moderates the relation between intergenerational emotional closeness and well-being in the grandparent generation.Findings demonstrated that affectual solidarity rating and religious ideological differences between grandparents and grandchildren influenced grandparents' well-being.Yancura & Barnett utilized the family life course framework in their study to examine how intergenerational conflict between the grandchildren's parents and the caregiving grandparents predicted stress and depression in grandparent caregivers.Ye and Smith incorporated the family stress model that was developed by Conger and colleagues in their study.Findings suggested parenting practice profiles related differentially to the well-being of caregivers and the emotional and behavioral outcomes of the grandchildren.Musil, Jeanblanc, Zauszniewski, and Burant used McCubbin's Resiliency Model of Family stress to examine how demographics, family demands, problemsolving/coping, resources, and situational appraisals affect depressive symptoms in grandmother caregivers.The inclusion of theory in these studies is significant.Without theory, study findings are nothing more than a pile of findings.Theory helps organize these findings in a meaningful way.This is a Grandparents as Caregivers Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.

RELATIONSHIPS MATTERS: INTERGENERATIONAL CONFLICT PREDICTS STRESS AND DEPRESSION IN GRANDPARENT CAREGIVERS Loriena Yancura, University of Hawa`i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Literature from both research and applied perspectives suggest that studies consider aspects of grandparent involvement beyond residence and custodial status to examine predictors and correlates of grandparent well-being.These suggestions are supported by a multigenerational family life course framework, which considers lifelong linkages among family and notes that interactions among family members are critically important for well-being.Objective: This study hypothesized that stress and burden in caregiving grandparents (G1) would be predicted by relationship quality with the grandchildrens' parents (G2) when other variables are controlled.Method: Data for these analyses were collected online via Qualtrics Panel Service.Surveys were completed by 312 grandparents who provided care to their grandchildren for at least 20 hours per week.
Discussion: These findings suggest that variables beyond residence status are important in understanding the effect of providing care to grandchildren on grandparents' well-being.Bowen's Family Systems theory provides a framework for examining how values and beliefs are transmitted between family members and the overall potential impact that transmission may have on the well-being of family members.While familial emotional closeness has been shown to predict well-being for older adults, there is still a lack of research investigating the influence of level of agreement on ideology among family members within this relation.Objective: This study examined the impact that level of agreement on religious and political values (consensual solidarity) has on the relation between emotional closeness in intergenerational relationships (affectual solidarity) and well-being in grandparents.Method: Using a sample from the Longitudinal Study of Generations, the current study examined grandparent-adult child (N = 336) and grandparent-grandchild (N = 239) dyads to assess the extent to which agreement on ideological beliefs moderates the relation between intergenerational emotional closeness and well-being in the grandparent generation.
Results: Affectual solidarity ratings among the three generations, as well as religious ideological differences between grandparents and grandchildren, were found to influence the well-being of grandparents.Additionally, model fit was found to be excellent for both moderation models between the three generations.
Discussion: These findings suggest that emotional closeness is a predominant factor in predicting well-being in grandparents that may not be as heavily influenced by the level of agreement on ideological beliefs as is often assumed.(4) High-effective CGM & Inadequate CGF.After controlling for socio-demographics, these profiles related differentially to the psychological well-being of CGF and CGM, as well as to the behavioral and emotional outcomes of grandchildren (CGC).CGF in Profile four reported significantly lower positive affect than those in Profiles one and three, but there were no profile differences regarding CGF depressive